I posted this earlier today but unfortunately copied the article directly. A.Net rightly deleted the posted and informed me in case we were in breach of any copyright laws. My apologies to the a.net team.

Anyhow, I repost this as it is interesting (unfortunately for those who don't understand French it's only in French) with a link to the page in question ("La Depêche du Midi" the local Toulouse newspaper.

Numerous articles on the following:

a. Today the A380 has passed the 200 hour mark of flight tests. Also makes reference to delays in the testing process.
b. Says the 380 will be in Australia in December for high temperature tests.
c. Airport preparations for the 380.
d. Short article on Boeing's current momentum, with e fresh new order for the 787 and the positive outlook for the 747 Adv. ... Good to see the local TLS press is open-minded!

Thanks Toulouse - though I'd hate to tell you how long ago I learned French, and how rusty it is.

Thing that struck me was how badly they need another aeroplane or two. They are only 200 hours into a 2,500-hour programme, and they are not due to get another aircraft until October.

I can shed some light on the tailstrike (tearing up the tarmac) thing too. Believe it or not, it's probably normal! One of the things test pilots have to do is establish the minimum speed at which an aeroplane will rotate/take off; and the only way to do that is to try takeoffs at lower and lower speeds, until finally you go too far......

"Once you have flown, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards.." - Leonardo da Vinci

Goodbye, it says (third story) that hot-weather testing (takeoffs and landings) will be done in Oz at the end of December. They want temperatures of 40C, so that suggests somewhere like Darwin or Cairns (unless we all get a really hot Christmas!).

However, it also says that these tests are usually done in Tunisia. Part of the intention of coming here instead is to try to placate Qantas about the delivery delays. So maybe it will pay courtesy visits to Sydney and/or Melbourne as well.

Come to think of it, they may not be able to do takeoffs and landings anywhere else; as far as I know SYD/MEL are the only airports that are widening their runways/taxiways for the A380?

I hope someone's told them that 40C temperatures don't occur ALL the time in SE Australia, even in summer. Here in Melbourne it's just as likely to be about 15!

"Once you have flown, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards.." - Leonardo da Vinci

Quoting NAV20 (Reply 7):I hope someone's told them that 40C temperatures don't occur ALL the time in SE Australia, even in summer. Here in Melbourne it's just as likely to be about 15!

It also said that they will do cold weather testing in Irkutsk in Siberia where it will be "-50 degrees." I worked in Irkutsk for nine months a few years ago, and the coldest temperature ever during that period was -38. Normal winter temp was around -20, but some days were even warmer.